Wasting Food: Average British Family Bin a Third of a Ton Each Year
The British are a nation known for their love of food and willingness to give anything a try when it comes to cuisine but it appears that we’re now binning much of the food we buy.
New research has shown that Brits will bin over a third of a ton of food each year which means masses of food is being wasted.
InSinkErator, who commissioned the research, found that it is leftovers that are causing the food waste problem.
Many families are buying oversized portions of their favourite Chinese takeaways and when they’re unable to finish them they simply show them the bin.
It’s not just takeaways though, another big offender was the Sunday roast, with leftover potatoes and veg finding its way to the bin afterwards.
One of the main factors contributing to so many leftovers is thought to be fussy children who turn their noses up at certain foods and refuse to eat them.
Shockingly, the research also found that 60 per cent of British families will regularly leave leftovers on their plates meaning it all goes straight in the bin.
A spokesman for food waste disposal firm InSinkErator said, “Throwing away the odd bit of food from each meal might not seem like a lot, but when you add that up over a week or year, it’s a staggering amount.
“Not only is it horrible to see how much food gets wasted, but if you think of how much you spend buying that food in the first place, it can be quite unsettling.
“But it’s interesting to see that Chinese takeaway is one of the main meals we throw away. Many people order too much and end up struggling to eat it all.
“If you or members of your family find it difficult to clear their plate and your food waste bin is bulging, cooking less will not only mean you end up saving yourself money but you won’t have to deal with messy job of throwing the food waste away.”
The study found that each household will throw away, on average, 745lbs of leftovers a year.
One of the most common reasons for throwing so much leftovers away was because there had been too much on the plate in the first place.
By simply cutting down how much you’re cooking you will not only save yourself money but also throw less food away and reduce your food waste.
This is something that concerns many Brits as 46 per cent of them said they worry about how much they throw away and 56 per cent said they were worried about how much money they waste in the process.
Do you worry about how much food you’re wasting? Let us know your thoughts by commenting below or tweeting us @FemaleFirst_UK